1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to certain novel N-chloramine compounds of the 1,4-dichloro-2,2,5,5-tetrasubstituted-3,6-piperazinedione type and more particularly, the present invention relates to such compounds, which exhibit excellent antibacterial activity. However, most importantly, these compounds exhibit enhanced stability over the closest related prior art compounds in aqueous solution.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 3,136,598 to Kokorudz (hereinafter "Kokorudz") discloses certain 1,4-dichloro-2,5-diketopiperazine compounds, in which the carbon atom, adjacent to the carbonyl group can contain two hydrogen atoms or in the alternative, a hydrogen atom in combination with a methyl or an ethyl group. These compounds are useful as antibacterial agents; in other words, such compounds can be employed in aqueous solution for the purpose of disinfection. In addition, the compounds described in this patent, due to their high chlorine potential, can also serve as effective bleaching agents, and more specifically, bleaching agents for textile fabrics, such as cottons. (See, U.S. Pat. No. 3,142,530.)
Applicants have extensively studied the compounds disclosed by kokorudz and have observed that while these compounds do exhibit excellent antibacterial activity in aqueous solution, such compounds when contained in an aqueous solution, are highly unstable. That is, when such compounds are introduced into an aqueous solution for application as antibacterial agents, such solutions must be used almost immediately as the compounds disclosed by Kokorudz will rapidly decompose, thus precluding sufficient germicidal activity to be achieved.